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Am finding this all rather brilliant. Starting 4th test game now with visible improvements in every version I have played, and as yet no major issues.

I was getting burned out on CM2 as all the game families started to feel like I was playing the same scenario over and over and over again - just with different uniforms and vehicles. Karl's innovative ideas to add many more tactical and operational decisions are reviving an aging game system and bringing the gameplay fun back - almost as if this is a new game system. Am enjoying this scenario more than I have any CM2 game in years.

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The barbwire is the key.Because after the barbwire is destroyed all future Separatist maneuver units & reinforcements will enter the exit zone (never reaching Order #4) eliminating the camp as a source of Separatist units.

OK that is seriously cool! Very creative.

So, it is possible to get a bit of a surprise though if you happen to have units near the separatist base camp when a reinforcement even occurs. Always wise to complete your mission and then get out.

1 hour ago, MOS:96B2P said:

The only reliable way US/Ukrainian forces can remove the barbwire is with demo charges. This compels the player to enter and clear the camp instead of calling in arty from a distance.

Hummm. Artillery can destroy barbed wire. It needs a pretty direct hit but that is doable. I am not sure how easy it is to do with 120mm mortar though - I have not tried that.

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So, it is possible to get a bit of a surprise though if you happen to have units near the separatist base camp when a reinforcement even occurs. Always wise to complete your mission and then get out.

If the player attacks a base camp when / or just after the Separatists receive reinforcements the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) might have to send the player some reinforcements of his own.

6 hours ago, IanL said:

Hummm. Artillery can destroy barbed wire. It needs a pretty direct hit but that is doable. I am not sure how easy it is to do with 120mm mortar though - I have not tried that.

I tested it and it took about 50 rounds and some luck. The resupply and careful expenditure of mortar ammo is critical to the mission so while it is possible to destroy the barbwire with 120mm mortars it is not really practical. Also there are multiple active base camps on the map including inactive (decoy) base camps. Add to this is the fact that base camps are located in woods so for an F/O to get LOS to call the arty mission the F/O would, in most cases, need to be almost at the base camp anyways. An asset that could get the player LOS for an arty strike would be a Gray Eagle Drone that the player controls. However this drone is probably heavily tasked with intelligence requests and may be busy trying to introduce the Butcher of Belz to a Hellfire missile . So while the player has choices I suspect many will end up sending in the grunts as has been done since the beginning of time............ .

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If the player attacks a base camp when / or just after the Separatists receive reinforcements the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) might have to send the player some reinforcements of his own.

Perfect.

14 hours ago, MOS:96B2P said:

I tested it and it took about 50 rounds and some luck. The resupply and careful expenditure of mortar ammo is critical to the mission so while it is possible to destroy the barbwire with 120mm mortars it is not really practical. Also there are multiple active base camps on the map including inactive (decoy) base camps.

Sounds pretty reasonable - this concept is very interesting and sounds like you have covered your bases. Cool.

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Question. What happens if someone plays this without the civilian vehicles mod? What shows up instead of those trucks in line at the check point?

I plan on including a zip file of three recommended mods. Kieme's alternative crops, Kieme's civilian vehicles and Pquumm's Separatists. However if they choose not to use the mods they will see lots of forklifts lined up at checkpoints and parked in driveways in the town of Belz .

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I definitely recommend using the Civilian Vehicles Mod as a matter of course, it doesn't take anything away from the game (you can still place forklifts), but it adds loads as you can see.....And I'm not a big fan of mods as a rule.

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Good point. I will be careful not to reveal any actionable intelligence about the actionable intelligence . Wish you were available to test my friend.

I wish I could test too mate - I have a similar (ish) concept for CMSF but it will be a campaign rather than a single mission. As I said in our PM - I think you have nailed this and that people will say for years to come that this is one of the 'must play' CM missions.

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I already mentioned to MOS that his concepts would be brilliant for CMSF as the larger maps and more open terrain make mobility in an insurgent environment critically important and revitalize this sort of CM2 game. Would look forward to a campaign version. (Actually, MOS's new concepts would greatly enliven any of the titles.)

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Soo.. How long will it take for this to be released for the general public? Just a general guesstimation of course.

I hope in a few weeks. I'm in the process of building a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) in the FOB that can provide SIGINT in a pretty cool way for the BluFor commander. Just stumbled across this ability while testing yesterday................. So making this addition along with suggested changes from the testers.

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Once @MOS:96B2P has ironed out the (remarkably few in my experience, thus far) creases, you will be in for a real treat.....As I just said elsewhere, this has taken CM:BS from a game I don't like terribly much, to my favourite in the CM range, literally overnight!

5 hours ago, Combatintman said:

As I said in our PM - I think you have nailed this and that people will say for years to come that this is one of the 'must play' CM missions.

I'll second that.

PS - Somebody FFS send him a Beta of CM:SF II.....We need him to have some lead time so he can create more wonderful stuff like this!

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Thanks @Bil Hardenberger. I will continue to post how different game mechanics can be made to work in cool, interesting ways. I hope others will use this knowledge in future scenarios and maybe make them think of something new that I have not stumbled across yet. This stuff will be even more in depth and interesting if used with spy's, unconventional forces, IEDs, VBIEDs and more nationalities. @Battlefront.com has created a pretty cool game here and also provided a powerful Editor for us.

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Good point. I will be careful not to reveal any actionable intelligence about the actionable intelligence . Wish you were available to test my friend.

Me too mate but if you want me to run an eye over briefings or knock up some briefing graphics or help you with a bundled PDF document to explain how it all works then I am here for you. I'd like to think that @George MC can vouch for me in this regard. Shoot me a PM and we'll take it from there.

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Me too mate but if you want me to run an eye over briefings or knock up some briefing graphics or help you with a bundled PDF document to explain how it all works then I am here for you. I'd like to think that @George MC can vouch for me in this regard. Shoot me a PM and we'll take it from there.

Sounds good my friend. I can always use adult supervision. I will send you a PM.